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Commentary: As hero and villain, Hulk Hogan helped make popular culture what it is today

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At the 2024 Republican National Convention during the evening hours, when Hulk Hogan, also recognized by his stage name Terry Bollea, made an appearance, responses varied.

During that time, President Donald Trump and his enthusiastic followers, whether inside or outside the venue, exhibited obvious joy, particularly when Hogan, in a distinctive gesture, tore off his T-shirt to reveal a shirt bearing “Trump/Vance.” However, others responded with distaste, criticizing the “tactless” showmanship of an act that seemed aimed at capturing the attention of professional wrestling fans and reviving Hogan’s fading public profile.

Regardless of the outcome, it was a mutual blessing as Trump’s victory was fueled by a culture that Hogan, who passed away at 71 on Thursday, greatly influenced. From the rise of scripted reality TV to the glorification of everyday Americans, Hogan’s career served as both a catalyst and reflection of changing societal trends.

Four decades ago, he started using aggressive nationalism and a bold call for supremacy, even adopting “Real American” as his signature tune, to transform himself into a self-made celebrity. This transformation played a significant role in elevating professional wrestling from a small-scale entertainment form to a global billion-dollar industry.

Entertainment & Arts

I, a globally recognized figure from the world of professional wrestling, Hulk Hogan, have sadly passed away at the age of 71. Known for my impact on pop culture, I was instrumental in bringing down Gawker and even supported President Trump’s campaign.

This individual pioneered the blueprint for managing reality-TV personality brands when Kim Kardashian was still in diapers. He accumulated millions of passionate followers by addressing them personally, using all caps communication even before social media platforms were available. However, he faced cancellation due to offensive language, later reinstated after a successful apology campaign.

Apart from overcoming the scandal of a leaked sex tape, he took legal action (assisted by billionaire Peter Thiel) against the media platform Gawker for disseminating it. The lawsuit was successful, leading to Gawker’s closure and causing apprehension among journalistic circles worldwide. He also managed to deter labor unions, acted in films, established a restaurant chain, and co-owned his own line of beer.

Explore any facet of contemporary celebrity lifestyle – be it positive, negative, or controversial – and you’ll likely find Hulk Hogan there, with his iconic mustache and catchphrase “Let me tell you something, buddy.” The aggressive approach that set him apart in the 1980s has now seeped into mainstream culture, reaching a level of popularity equal to professional wrestling itself.

Even people who detest professional wrestling without a doubt recognized him; he was a groundbreaker, known for turning his persona into a career.

Standing at an impressive 6 feet 8 inches tall and possessing a robust physique reminiscent of a tank, Terry Bollea embarked on a career as a professional wrestler in 1977. He developed a self-promoting persona that mirrored the stardom achieved by Gorgeous George (George Raymond Wagner) years prior. However, Hulk Hogan distinguished himself by portraying a heroic figure, empowered to vanquish the wicked. He communicated directly with his audience, including children, and swiftly garnered both national and international recognition, not just for himself, but also for the World Wrestling Federation.

In 1993, the World Wildlife Fund took legal action against the organization due to their shared initials, compelling them to rebrand as World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). This name change was quite fitting since professional wrestling has historically been focused on entertainment rather than competition. Although wrestlers are incredibly fit and strong, and their bodies sustain various injuries during brawls, these events are not genuine contests.

The matches are skillfully planned out in advance, with the winners decided beforehand, although the results remain a secret to the spectators. With its emphasis on larger-than-life characters labeled as “faces” (the heroes) and “heels” (the villains), professional wrestling, much like many contemporary reality shows, is primarily centered around satisfying audience tastes.

In numerous aspects, Hulk Hogan can be seen as the pioneer of reality TV stardom. His title wasn’t primarily earned through exceptional wrestling skills (at least not in terms of technical ability), but rather through his exceptional performance. He stood out against the emerging trend of the stronger, more aggressive, and less sensitive masculinity of the 1980s by leveraging his physical prowess and bravado.

This version aims to maintain the essence of the original statement while using simpler language and a more conversational tone.

In my early days, I switched roles from being a fan favorite to a notorious villain, earning the moniker Hollywood Hogan. Some might say I altered my persona for more fame, but truth be told, I did it to stir things up among the fans. However, as it turned out, they continued adoring me, even though my plan didn’t quite pan out as intended. I shared this with The Times in 2019.

By the end of the 1980s, “Hulkamania” had become ubiquitous, thriving on Hogan’s distinctive colors (yellow and red), wrestling techniques (the leg-drop), and famous phrases (“What are you going to do when Hulkamania runs wild over you, buddy?”). Despite his later admission that he used steroids, after years of denying it, his popularity remained unscathed.

As the spotlight beamed brighter, I became a hot commodity, gracing both the silver screen and television sets. In the year 1982, I stepped into the ring as Thunderlips, a character reminiscent of myself, squaring off against Rocky Balboa, portrayed by Sylvester Stallone, in “Rocky III.” It was an exhibition match like no other.

Hogan graced the small screen on shows like “The Love Boat,” “The A-Team,” “The All New Mickey Mouse Club,” and more recently, “The Goldbergs.” He starred in some less-than-stellar films, such as “Suburban Commando” and “Mr. Nanny,” lent his voice to video games, and was a fixture in numerous WWE productions. Interestingly, he paved the way for other wrestlers to transition into acting, with figures like The Rock, John Cena, and Dave Bautista following in his footsteps.

Sports

The passing of Hulk Hogan has elicited heartfelt responses across the realm of professional wrestling. Among those expressing their condolences are legends like Ric Flair, Triple H, and President Trump, all members of the WWE Hall of Fame.

In 2005, he immersed himself fully into reality television, appearing on “Hogan Knows Best” that centered around his family life with his wife Linda, son Nick, and daughter Brooke. (He consented partially to aid Brooke’s rising singing career.) Much like other celebrity family-focused series, it concluded after four seasons due to the factual reality becoming too complex. This included their divorce and Nick’s car accident, for which he was charged with reckless driving and later sentenced to prison, making it difficult to carry on.

Regarding Hulk Hogan, although he is renowned for numerous wrestling championships and memorable matches, his most well-known conflict took place in a courtroom. In 2012, a portion of a sex tape featuring him was published by Gawker. Consequently, Hogan filed a lawsuit. To clarify, Terry Bollea (who had the backing of Thiel, who harbored personal grudges against Gawker for exposing him in the past) initiated the legal action. He argued that while Hulk Hogan is a public figure known to discuss his sexual exploits, Bollea was not, and thus publishing the tape, which had been made without his consent, infringed upon his privacy rights.

In 2016, the jury decided in favor of Bollea and granted him $115 million. A few months afterward, Gawker ceased operations, placing Hogan at the center of discussions about the First Amendment and the dwindling appeal and financial stability of the media industry.

As a film aficionado, I found it deeply troubling when segments of a tape emerged featuring Hogan uttering racial slurs, such as the N-word, while discussing his daughter’s boyfriend. In 2015, the WWE severed ties with him and expunged all references to him from their website. After expressing remorse in 2018, he was reinstated by the WWE.

Besides these scandals, Hogan was also involved in other controversial incidents. For instance, in the late 1980s, he actively opposed unionization among wrestlers. His divorce from Linda was contentious, and he had a strained relationship with his daughter for several years. The reaction to his appearance at the RNC convention last year was divided among fans, while attending the Los Angeles premiere of Netflix’s “WWE Raw” in January resulted in boos from the crowd – an apparent rebuke of his support for Trump.

In a society that celebrates hate-watching and toxic dialogue, apathy might be our greatest adversary. Just like Hulk Hogan showed us, both faces and heels, cheers and boos matter, as long as the audience keeps making some sort of sound.

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2025-07-25 04:01

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